RCDC, CDA set to hold Caraga Power Summit
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) – With the series of
power interruptions that plague Mindanao which threatens to sap the region’s
potential as the next growth hub, the Regional Cooperative Development Council
(RCDC) in coordination with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Caraga
region will be holding a Caraga Power Summit on January 23, 2015, 8:00 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. at the Provincial Covered Court, Capitol, this city.
The summit is anchored on the theme, “Co-own the
Power.”
“As co-operators, we know that our strength is in
our unity and numbers that we are able to generate the funds we need to serve
best the interests of our respective members. We believe that in looking for a
solution to the power outages, we need to use this cooperative strength,”
stated Francis Loque, chairman of the RCDC Caraga.
He recounted the power crisis experienced in 2010,
2013 and at present that is still confronting the general public. “We hear from
our power distributors that either the management of Agus-Pulangi Complex was
not able to deliver its power supply commitment to the electric cooperative and
private distribution utilities or that there was already a shortage in the
supply of electricity which made our power woes increasing to our
consternation. But, whichever, as co-operators, we cannot remain silent in
apathy,” expressed Loque.
Loque also said that said summit will present
enormous opportunity where the strength as cooperative members can be utilized
to help solve the power miseries.
Energy secretary Jericho Petilla is invited to
deliver his keynote speech. Finance secretary Cesar Purisima and CDA
officer-in-charge chairman Eulogio Castillo are likewise expected to grace the
event. In the afternoon, a time is allotted for plenary session to discuss
issues and concerns.
For those who are interested to join and for
inquiries and confirmation of attendance, you may contact Corazon Estoque at
(085) 342-5530 or send an email at corazonestoque@yahoo.com. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: Have a healthy lifestyle, throw the
burning stick away
By Victor J. Alfonso, Jr.
MANILA, Jan. 15 (PIA) - Achieving a healthy
lifestyle does not only involve eating right and exercising regularly but also
entails stopping a bad habit like cigarette smoking. and avoiding excessive
drinking of alcoholic beverages.
Cigarette Smoking
Why do we have to stop smoking? Smoking has been
associated with different kinds of cancer such as cancer of the mouth, tongue,
throat and lungs, as well as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, ischemic heart
diseases, hypertension and other diseases. The heavier the smoking, the greater
is the risk to these diseases. Even those who do not smoke but are exposed to
cigarette smoke can also have the same diseases.
Aside from the diseases that smoking may cause, it
also has a direct effect on nutrition. Smoking may also cause malnutrition
because of decreased appetite. Moreover, because of the many diseases and
infections brought about by smoking, vitamin C requirement increases, causing
the body’s resistance to infection to weaken further.
A mother who smokes during pregnancy also causes
harm to her fetus. Cigarette smoking tends to limit the growth and development
of the baby in the womb, resulting to lower birth weight. This may be due to
the reduced food intake of the mother resulting from lack of appetite brought
about by smoking as well as to the ill-effects of substances found in
cigarettes.
The three most common substances found in
cigarettes and cigars that are found harmful to the body are:
·
carbon monoxide which is a gas that destroys the capacity of the blood
to supply adequate amounts of oxygen to the vital organs of the body and is
responsible for the shortness of breath among smokers and also that of the
people around them;
·
nicotine which is the substance that makes one addicted to cigarettes.
It raises blood pressure and heart rate; and
· tar
which is the brownish viscous substance found in cigarette/cigar smoke that
causes lung cancer, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
The best rule is never start smoking because once
a person is addicted, giving up smoking will not be easy. Among smokers,
quitting smoking can be done only if the smoker is serious about it. To help
you quit smoking, here are some tips:
Decide to stop smoking and set the date when you
will stop smoking;
Throw away all cigarettes, cigars, matches,
lighters, ash trays and all other things that have something to do with
smoking;
Watch out for any untoward signs or any other
unpleasant feelings when you stop smoking such as nausea, cold-clammy hands,
too much perspiration, trembling and restlessness. Should you experience any of
these, do not worry because these are usual withdrawal symptoms which may
disappear in a week or two;
Drink plenty of water;
Get involved in different physical activities to
divert yourself from craving for cigarettes;
Use the money saved from not buying cigarettes to
get a special gift for yourself as a reward for avoiding smoking;
Avoid going to places where cigarettes can be
bought and where people smoke;
Avoid lighting even just one cigarette as this
will lead to lighting a second stick and another stick, and before you know it,
you are back to the smoking habit;
Carefully observe your diet to avoid gaining
weight because as you keep on with quitting smoking, you might turn your
attention to food; and
Tell your friends and relatives that you have quit
smoking.
A question often asked is: Will a smoker gain
weight if he or she quits smoking? Yes, he or she will gain weight because
while trying to quit smoking, food may serve as substitute for cigarettes
because of the return of the usual appetite for food which may result to weight
gain. Thus, there is a need to watch that you do not substitute cigarette with
food to avoid weight gain.
This habit should be broken to start having a
healthy lifestyle, Stop smoking for a healthier, happier you!
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana,
Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and
Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/ Fax Nos:
837-2934 or 837-3164; Direct Line:839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071-82 local
2296 or 2284; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST
website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. Like our Facebook page at
facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow our Twitter account at twitter.com/FNRI_DOST.
(FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
SurSur guv voices out concern over 'unrestored
bridge' in San Agustin town
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) –
Surigao del Sur governor Johnny Pimentel has expressed concern on Monday over
the delay of the restoration of detour bridge traversing Hubo River in San
Agustin town, 64.5 kilometers south, this city, that was washed out by floods
due to Tropical Storm (TS) Seniang on December 29, 2014.
He told capitol employees during the regular
Monday flag ceremony program that the restoration work is hampered as adverse
weather continues to dump more rains.
“My office has already coordinated with the
regional director and Engr. Calderon; and also the contractor,” he said,
referring to DPWH Caraga regional director Danilo Versola and district engineer
Joseph Calderon of the DPWH 1st Congressional District Office in the province
as well as Luciano Construction.
“Actually, the timetable is that the detour bridge
will be completed on January 30. But
because of the heavy rains that we have been experiencing . . . dili
maka-trabaho kay taas ang tubig. So, sa
pagkakuman, lagmit maabtan pa yaon nan Pebrero. And most probably, magpadayon
ining atong kalisod. But we expect that
by the middle of February, this will be passable,” the governor lamented in a
mix of English and vernacular.
Beforehand, Pimentel admitted that the province
has sustained significant damage from TS Seniang—citing the washed out detour
bridge in San Agustin as the most severe.
“It has hampered the delivery of our products going
to and from the province of Surigao del Sur,” he added. (NGBT/Radyo ng
Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
SurSur PNP sends contingent to Tacloban for Papal
visit
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) – The
Police Provincial Office (PPO) in Surigao del Sur headed by P/SSupt. Narciso
Verdadero, acting provincial director, has sent a 51-man team to Tacloban City
to secure the Papal visit on January 17.
The whole contingent, among them are six police
subordinate officials, left on Saturday, January 10, with P/Supt. Daniel Laniog
Peusca, deputy provincial director for administration, as head.
However, Verdadero followed suit a day after, who
took over the responsibility, it was learned.
Before the provincial chief cop left for Tacloban,
he has his hands full due to important undertakings which include, among
others, attending the first annual New Year’s Call in Police Regional Office 13
(PRO 13), a regular affair for Caraga high ranking police officials headed by
P/CSupt. David Ombao, acting PNP regional director. (NGBT/Radyo ng
Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Army’s 401st Brigade exempt from sending troops to
Tacloban for Pope visit
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) –
BGen. Gregory Cayetano, commanding officer of the 401st Infantry Brigade of the
Philippine Army under the 4th Infantry Division bared they were exempted from
sending troops to Tacloban City in connection with the Papal visit on Saturday,
January 17.
The top army commander in Caraga, with the
provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur as area of responsibility
(AOR), cited threat behind their “exclusion” to augment the Joint Task Force POPE.
He hinted that his AOR remains the hotbed of
insurgency here, hence the need to just stay put.
However, Gen. Cayetano confirmed he is well aware
of the five-day ceasefire declared by the leftist group in time for the Pope
visit from January 15-19 in the country.
Likewise, he said that the month-long truce
declared by the state also ends on January 19.
Meanwhile, 1Lt. Al Anthony Pueblas, civil military
officer (CMO) of the 36th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army under the
said brigade said the battalion remains intact, adding they keep a watchful eye
on the enemy of the state despite the scenario.
On the other hand, the Police Provincial Office
(PPO) in Surigao del Sur headed by acting provincial director P/SSupt. Narciso
Verdadero, has sent a 52-man team to Tacloban on January 10 to assist in the
maintenance of peace and order for the coming of Pope Francis, it was learned.
(NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Rural bank supports DepEd’s 'Adopt-A-School
Program'
By Junnabelle Mae D. EboΓ±a
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) - For the first time in
the history of the company, Eastwest Rural Bank Butuan Branch took the lead in
adopting San Roque Elementary School as part of the Department of Education’s
(DepEd) Adopt-A-School Program.
Noreyev Barsobia, branch manager of Eastwest Rural
Bank has the heart and soul in taking the lead in supporting the pupils’
education of the said school. Together with his personnel, Barsobia distributed
various school supplies and used clothing to the pupils from Kindergarten to
Grade-VI.
Furthermore, the group conducted feeding to all
the pupils with pospas and pancit last September 2, 2014.
“You are very lucky and fortunate, of all the
schools under the Division of Butuan City, our company chose your school as our
partner in this program. We do hope that you study hard your lessons in order
for you to achieve your dreams in life.
I know pretty well that it is not easy to acquire higher ladder of
education. Don’t make poverty as your
hindrance to be successful but rather, make it as a challenge, a stepping stone
to strive hard and achieve valued results,” Barsobia emphasized.
They assured that the partnership between the
company and the school will continue. The teachers, pupils and parents of the
said school thanked them so much in supporting their quest for quality
education and for sharing their time and money to this program. (DepEd Butuan
City Division/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
NIA-SurSur posts P73.6M in damages due to TS
Seniang
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) – The
National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Surigao del Sur has incurred a
total of P73.6 million in estimated damages due to floods caused by Tropical
Storm Seniang.
Engr. Dexter Sablaon, Provincial Irrigation
Management Office (PIMO) acting division manager, bared that there are NIA
facilities located in both Districts I and II such as dams, drainage systems,
canal structures, canals and service roads that have been washed out, silted
and/or grouted as said storm battered the province on December 29, 2014.
In his report, the NIA chief remarked that ruined
facilities that serve an estimated total of 3,329 hectares needed “immediate
repair.” (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DepEd supports 'zero waste' goal of the govt
By Alfonsito Allan Cale
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) – The month of January
in every year is declared as “Zero Waste Month.”
In support to Presidential Proclamation No. 760
dated May 5, 2014 entitled “Declaring Every Month of January as Zero Waste
Month" and to help protect the environment, the Department of Education
(DepEd) Secretary issued Memorandum No. 1, series of 2015 dated January 8, 2015
to all officials/heads and concerned for the immediate dissemination of the
said proclamation.
Local DepEd officials and teachers here
wholeheartedly supported the call. Lectures on environmental management and
protection are included in the lessons.
The Republic Act No. 9003, or the “Ecological
Solid Waste Management Act of 2000” promotes environmental awareness and action
among the citizenry and institutionalizes public participation in the
development of national and local integrated, comprehensive and ecological
waste management programs.
In the proclamation, it states that zero waste is
an advocacy that promotes designing and managing products and processes to
systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and
materials, and to observe and recover all resources, and not indiscriminately
dispose or burn them. (NCLM/DepEd Butuan City Division/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
OCD Caraga, RDRRMC team conduct disaster
assessment in Dinagat Islands
By Ma. Jane A. Mayola
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Jan 15 (PIA) - The
Rapid Disaster Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) team of the Office of
Civil Defense - Caraga and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (RDRRMC) facilitated the conduct of assessment and validation of
damages brought by the recent Tropical Storm (TS) Seniang on Tuesday, January
13, 2015 in San Jose, this province.
The team led the assessment and validation of
damages on irrigation, agriculture, fisheries, government infrastructure and
facilities, housing, and private structures.
Based on the assessment, the municipalities of San
Jose and Basilisa have the highest reported damages on housing, fisheries and
agriculture.
In over-all assessment, the province of Dinagat
Islands achieved the zero casualty target during the onslaught of TS Seniang.
(SDR/PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
DepEd issues guidelines on respecting IPs culture
By Alfonsito Allan Cale
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) – The Department of
Education (DepEd) has released recently an order promulgating the “Guidelines
on the Conduct of Activities and Use of Materials Involving Aspects of
Indigenous Peoples Culture.”
The said order was a result after a consultation
with various Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities, educators, and civil society
support groups nationwide.
The guidelines seek to provide guidance on the
ethical assessment of the conduct of learning activities and related
engagements of schools, DepEd offices, and other education initiatives that
involve various aspects of indigenous peoples culture.
Activities that involve IPs culture such as
cultural presentations, performances, festivals, use of artifacts and
indigenous clothing must be respected.
DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro also emphasized
during the signing of the order the importance of cultural exchange in the
constant effort to better understand and value indigenous culture in education.
(DepEd-Butuan City Division/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
Tagalog News: Pamahalaan ipapatupad ang bagong
hanay ng seguridad sa pagbisita ni Pope Francis
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Enero 15 (PIA) - Ang National
Organizing Committee na siyang tinahasan na magsaayos ng mga paghahanda para sa
pagbisita ng Santo Papa Francis ay gumawa na ng maraming pagpapabuti para
maseguro ang kaligtasan ng Santo Papa sa kanyang pagbisita.
Sa ilalim ng bagong hanay, papayagan ng mga
otoridad ang maraming tao na masilayan ang bibisitang pinuno ng simbahang
Romano Katoliko sa kanyang pagdating sa Manila sa araw na ito, Huwebes, sabi ni
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda sa kanyang panayam sa media noong
Miyerkoles.
Pinag-aralan ng komitiba ang mga kuhang bidyo ng
motorcade ni Pope John II noong 1995 ng siya ay dumating para sa World Youth
Day na ginanap sa Quirino Grandstand, sabi ni Lacierda.
Ang komitiba, sabi niya, ay pinalitan ang layout
ng Roxas Boulevard bilang parte ng bagong set-up ng seguridad para pigilin ang
mga tao sa paggalaw habang papalapit ang mga sumusunod sa Santo Papa.
Ang mga tao ay papayagan na ngayon na lumagay sa
buong linya ng northbound papunta ng Luneta pati na rin sa center island,
paliwanag niya.
Naglagay din ang mga otoridad ng barikada at
nagpakalat ng mga panseguridad na tauhan, dagdag niya.
“Kaya imbis na nagtulakan ang mga tao para makita
ang Santo Papa, sila ay papayagan na ngayon na okupahin ang northbound na
daan.”
Pinorma rin ng mga otoridad ang mga rehas para
gumawa ng depensang lugar at sa loob noon ay mga maliliit ng quadrants, sabi
niya.
"Magkaroon ng buffer areas. Kapag magkaroon
ng tulakan at stampede, meron kang lugar para malipatan," puna niya.
Sabi ni Lacierda na ang bawat rehas ay
bababantayan ng walong tauhan ng pulis, 400 na reservists mula sa AFP, 10
Health Department personnel, walo hanggang sampung volunteer mula sa Red Cross
at dalawang marshals.
Tuwing umaga, ang mga opisyal ay gumagawa ng mga
pagpupulong sa mga gagawin, sabi ni Lacierda, at dadag pa niya na si Interior
and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin
at Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa ay magtatagpo sa Huwebes ng umaga para sa
isa na namang maigsing security briefing. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
